Tag: transformation

For many of us, the transformation of our schools cannot happen fast enough. We look out a world where we can find out what caused the War of 1812 or why adding salt to water makes it boil hotter with a 10-second Google search, where we can teach ourselves to knit or program computers via YouTube,… Continue reading Selling the problem (not just the solution)

This is probably my all-time favorite post. It comes from May of 2013 and provides such a clear, compelling vision of how different (and exciting, fun, energizing, powerful) school could be if we really push ourselves to transform. I thought about it as I drove to school this morning because I saw this graph posted… Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Imagine What School Could Be

Each Friday we'll give an update on the work of our Fellows, a select group of educators who are experimenting with new approaches to meet the demands of the 21st Century. This week we had an online collaborative hosted by our committee on communication. We discussed the successes and challenges we face when trying to… Continue reading Communicating Transformation

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Although any major change demands that an organization overhaul its systems and procedures, leaders are often frustrated when altering the way things are done does not produce the desired outcome. They work hard to institute new programs and policies only to be disappointed when nothing actually changes. Professor John D. Adams helps us understand some of the… Continue reading #12: John D. Adams – Critical Mass

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Yesterday we looked at the theory of transformation posed by Daszko and Sheinberg in their article "Survival is Optional." Much of their theory rests on the idea that: "Transformation is motivated by survival, by the realization that everything needs to change or the organization will die; that a significant breakthrough in mindset is needed in order to… Continue reading #9: Chip and Dan Heath – Switch

Today we take time to reflect on transformation theory. Our featured thinkers - Marcia Daszko and Sheila Sheinberg - have synthesized many other thinkers' ideas, including W. Edwards Deming and Peter Senge, into one concise overview. First, consider some definitions and distinctions about types of change: "Transformation has become a popular, overused and misunderstood word in… Continue reading #8: Marcia Daszko and Sheila Sheinberg – Survival is Optional

This week we are talking about transforming schools into places that cultivate world changers. You may be thinking to yourself “I’d love to do that, but what I really need to do is get students to pass X test.” Here’s some food for thought on that tension. Back in 2001, researchers in Chicago* looked into the idea… Continue reading World Changers vs. High Stakes Tests